Angel at Dusk

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 140 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Angel at Dusk Game Cover
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OUTLINE Profusely Genuine! Explosively Orthodox! Shoot, dodge, and destroy! A die-hard style, faithful return to the origin of top down shooters! The newest answer to shmups. A game which is "uncompromisingly skeletal". That is, a game in which every last ounce of excess has been cut away, and only its framework quintessence remains. Bones free themselves of flesh, laying waste to needless entra…

  • PC
  • Windows
  • steam_deck
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 140 reviews
gameplay16 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features an excellent tutorial that effectively introduces both beginners and veterans to shmup mechanics, making it accessible and enjoyable for all skill levels.
  • Visually stunning with a unique art style and engaging audio, the game creates a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • The gameplay encourages aggressive strategies, rewarding players for close-up action and mastery of bullet canceling, which adds depth and excitement to the combat.
  • The Chronicle mode can become monotonous and grindy, requiring players to replay easier stages to power up before facing tougher challenges, which may frustrate some players.
  • The arcade mode, while enjoyable, lacks certain quality-of-life features like a quick-restart button, which could improve practice and skill development.
  • Some players find the screen cluttered and the color scheme confusing, making it difficult to track their character and incoming projectiles during intense gameplay.
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its engaging mechanics and beautiful art style, making it accessible for newcomers while still offering depth for experienced players. It features a well-structured tutorial system, unique ship loadouts, and rewarding aggressive strategies, though some players find the gameplay can become repetitive over time. Overall, it combines satisfying action with a variety of modes and mechanics, making it a noteworthy entry in the shmup genre.

    • “Very good beginner tutorial included for shmup mechanics.”
    • “It is very forgiving for a bullet hell shooter with many quite unique mechanics it introduces, but that does not make it an easy game at all on higher difficulties.”
    • “The game does a fantastic job through its gameplay to teach you to stay on the offensive and has a bunch of mechanics centered around rewarding aggressive strategies.”
    • “Going back to the problem of repetitive gameplay, this is the primary reason why I do not recommend this game unless you are a shmupper, and even if you are a die-hard shmup fan, surely there are better shmups to play.”
    • “While this game has done a decent job at creating a shmup game with player retention and inviting new players to the genre, it still was not able to overcome the problem of simplistic, monotonous, basic gameplay that this genre has, which plagues a potentially great game mode.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it is pretty simple; the mechanics involve the player being able to choose different ships with unique loadouts.”
  • graphics28 mentions

    The graphics of "Angel at Dusk" are a polarizing aspect, with many praising its unique and grotesque art style that enhances the overall experience, while others criticize the visuals for being messy and not as high-quality as expected. The game's aesthetic is described as mesmerizing and chaotic, fitting well with its bullet-hell gameplay and diverse musical score. Overall, the visuals are seen as a significant draw for fans of the genre, despite some concerns about clarity and hitbox accuracy.

    • “It's got the challenge of an arcade that keeps a person improving upon play, and the awesome visual aesthetic that charms one's finer emotional brain.”
    • “To say nothing of the game's aesthetics, which are stellar, this is clearly a passion project by a skilled dev obsessed with the genre and it oozes thought and style.”
    • “Beautiful aesthetics and upbeat music make this game so satisfying to play.”
    • “Angel at dusk laughs in the face of hyper-realistic graphics and dumbed-down difficulty, with what appear to be vector images of sexualized eldritch crab people barraging the player with bone-covered hot dogs.”
    • “People compare/associate this game to Scorn in terms of design and story, but I think it's a little better in both departments with the exception of graphics and horror.”
    • “I'll admit, I was drawn to this one due to the unique visuals, but I have stayed for the gameplay.”
  • story24 mentions

    The game's story is noted for being interesting and expansive, with a rich lore that unfolds as players progress through various modes, including Chronicle and Arcade. While some players feel the story is secondary to gameplay, many appreciate its depth and philosophical themes, likening it to works like "Evangelion." However, there are criticisms regarding the clarity of progression and transitions between modes, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The story of the game is actually interesting and expansive since every stage you clear will give you more context, but your first run through the game gives you these essential bullet points anyway.”
    • “Chronicle mode and arcade mode have notes for every stage, adding to something insane like 177 story notes altogether.”
    • “The lore of the story is actually pretty interesting.”
    • “The only shortcoming here is that there lacks an in-game explanation guiding the player from tutorials to original to chronicle mode, which affects the smooth transition and player experience. It took me a while to figure out that story mode can also be played from original mode, with custom weapons, meaning difficulty becomes redundant if you have higher stats and gear.”
    • “For this kind of game, the story should be irrelevant, and yet this one is quite profound and explores philosophical concepts (think 'Evangelion', but more straightforward).”
    • “It's rare for me to dive deep and find out what the story is of any shmup unless I really like it.”
  • music23 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its eclectic variety, ranging from classical to heavy metal, and is described as both fitting and thematically rich, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's quality and uniqueness, noting that it complements the game's distinctive art style and engaging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and replay value.

    • “The visuals are grotesquely mesmerizing, and the music is all over the place (from classically inspired to heavy metal, to synth) in all the best ways.”
    • “The music is also varied and, quite frankly, immaculate.”
    • “The music is bizarre, sounding more like a spaghetti western than a post-apocalyptic corrupted planet.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't gonna land in my favorites, but it feels incredibly fitting and thematic, so it's not getting muted either.”
    • “A brilliant addition to the shmup genre, this game isn't only visually striking with its nightmarish presentation, but it's also packing plenty of content, unique system mechanics, unlockables, multiple difficulty options, great moment to moment action-oriented gameplay and a killer soundtrack.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for being excessively repetitive and unbalanced, particularly in the roguelike mode that players must complete to unlock additional content. While some find the leveling system enjoyable, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall experience, making it feel unnecessarily lengthy and frustrating. However, a few players appreciate the grind when paired with engaging gameplay and a compelling soundtrack.

    • “In order to unlock all the arcade stages, you have to complete this horribly repetitive and grindy roguelike mode, which kind of wrecks the game.”
    • “Original mode is kind of grindy and lengthy, with some weapons being way better than others. It can be a bit grindy to unlock all the 'ships' too since you might end up having to farm for blue cells.”
    • “Commits the sin of hiding an entire arcade campaign behind progression through the unbalanced and grindy chronicle mode.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by its tongue-in-cheek narration and over-the-top gore, featuring amusingly named bosses and a playful approach to its themes. While the humor remains engaging initially, it can become repetitive after a few hours of gameplay. The tutorials are particularly noted for their entertaining and informative writing, making the game accessible to newcomers.

    • “I appreciate the tongue-in-cheek humor of the narration and story as well.”
    • “Very suited to genre beginners thanks to its two very complete, motivating, and hilariously written tutorials (that also go into detail about the philosophy of shmups, it was very interesting for me).”
    • “This game feels like jumping a generation for its 'galshell' series, which is also a hilariously over-the-top gore fest with vaguely sexy monster women.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviewers consistently highlight the game's high replayability, praising its engaging storyline, impressive graphics, and solid mechanics, all of which contribute to an enjoyable experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “Cool art, tight controls, solid mechanics, and lots of replay value.”
    • “From the storyline to the graphics, to the music, this game has high replay value.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The game effectively combines challenging arcade gameplay with a captivating visual aesthetic, engaging players on an emotional level and encouraging continuous improvement.

    • “It's got the challenge of an arcade that keeps a person improving upon play, and the awesome visual aesthetic that charms one's finer emotional brain.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere is described as potentially enhanced by the introduction of "angel particles," suggesting a whimsical or imaginative quality that could elevate the game's environment. This implies a unique and creative approach to world-building that resonates with players.

    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
    • “Every sound and visual detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is so rich and layered that it feels like a character in its own right.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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